Finally, a blanket of winter. Cold temps combined with several inches of snow, providing our ground a layer of protection and eventual moisture. In the coming weeks seeds will be sown, making this snowfall a welcome final reprieve.
In this break I have found a desire to dream. Moving back to my hometown, starting a farm, and growing a community was for many years the biggest dream I could muster. Every time I veered from that path I found myself sketching garden layouts or writing about what I would grow. By the end of 2018 I had enough and physically commenced playing out the dream.
Folks Farm is now entering its seventh growing season. We have ridden a wave of two presidencies, a worldwide pandemic, unprecedented inflation, and a burgeoning market farming scene in Northern Colorado. Amongst these larger changes we have learned how to grow, market, fund, and provide produce directly to our local community. The farm has jumped from one acre, peaked at five, and settled at two. We have been blessed by many helping hands over the years who have gone on to be pillars of their communities. The farm has been tested again and again.
It feels like the farm has hit its own stride. When the crew is packing our winter CSA shares, I am more in the way than helpful! Systems have been put in place and unbelievably the business now functions with somewhat autonomy. The bumps we weathered made us stronger and guided the business to discover its own niches.
A rough crop plan has been laid out, supplies have been ordered, but I can’t help the feeling of an itchy desire once again dream. Maybe it is small dreams like plants to grow next year, or larger like how can we broaden our impact? Maybe it is how we can further refine and streamline, or expand into new ventures?
Either way, I am embracing the long nights of late January, the cold days, and snow covering the field. In between checking on a few thermostats and the farm cat the workload is light making for excellent conditions to explore. Hints of spring will be here before we know and the larger call to action will be underway.
Farm News
We have been riding out the Winter CSA and next week marks the seventh of eleven boxes! Given the cold weather we will see how the unheated greens have fared, even still we have lots of roots in storage to utilize.
CSA Shares for the 2025 season are moving! Our CSA is a gift card system that allows you to utilize the open hours of the Farm Stand along with any farmers markets we attend to receive your veggies. The share has helped us purchase annual materials and will now shift to fund the assembly of seed and soil to grow food. We are expecting to sow the first seeds of the year in the next couple weeks so every early sign up helps.